


here we are (don't turn away now)

by brxkenarrxws



Series: RWBY Survivor Dogs AU drabbles [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dogs, Angst, Asexual Character, Asexual Ruby Rose (RWBY), Fluff, Mantle and Atlas are still cities, Mild Blood, Mild Gore, Mild Language, Multi, Science Fiction, Weapons still exist, but they're also packs, every ship is acknowledged mkay, kobalt and ivory don't exist lmao, like dogs use technology n shit, penny is a cybernetic dog, poly nuts n dolts with white rose, so does aura and semblance, specifically
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:15:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23063815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brxkenarrxws/pseuds/brxkenarrxws
Summary: Ruby Rose and her group have finally arrived at Atlas. However, a sudden turn of events just may answer questions that the traveling dogs might have not even though of.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Elm Ederne/Vine Zeki, Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie, Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi, Robyn Hill/Winter Schnee, Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee
Series: RWBY Survivor Dogs AU drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1657525
Comments: 13
Kudos: 21





	1. we are the warriors that built this town (from dust)

**Author's Note:**

> OKAY SO-  
> Everyone still has their weapons. Excluding Yang, their weapons are held by a leather strap that's wrapped around each dog's back. On the dog's back is a small magnetic plate that holds the weapon and keeps it from falling off. Blades are used more than bullets by the way.
> 
> Everyone's breeds will be listed, don't worry.

_"Manta 5-1...welcome home."_

Airships dotted the darkened sky, outlined against the pale white stars that speckled the black-blue night sky.

_"Please make your way to docking base Omega-12. A security team will meet you there. Over."_

A dark brown-black she-dog with bright silver eyes stepped forward to stare out of the airship's windshield at the air fleet in the sky. Her fur was long, but not too long, but definitely in need of a trim. Red streaks smudged the tips of her ears, her small paws, and the very tip of her tail. She was a red merle cattle dog mix, smaller than an average dog, but a bit bigger than the average cattle dog. Confusion was written all across her face as she stared out of the window.

"I don't understand...what's happening here?" the she-dog growled, hopping up onto her hind legs and placing her paws on the dashboard to get a better view of the outside.

Beside her, an older dark gray male with sharp red eyes sat on the passenger seat, leaning forward slightly as his eyes narrowed. Faint smudges of a lighter gray streaked his lower jaw and the backs of his ears. He was a Black shepherd, lighter than most. A feather dangled from a metal clip in his left ear, onyx black in color. Around his neck hung a black string with a crooked silver cross, a Nordic symbol of mourning. He too was perplexed by the sight of so many air ships in the sky.

"I'm not sure." The male woofed, shaking his head slowly.

A sandy colored male, younger than the shepherd, stepped forward. His fur was a sandy-gold. Longer than needed. His eyes were a solid cobalt blue, odd for his breed of a yellow lab border collie mix. A splash of white was on his chest, as well as his snout and belly. Around his upper leg was a long piece of red fabric that dangled and swayed with every movement.

"But we _are_ here. We got the relic to Atlas," he motioned to a gold and blue lamp that hung from a metal clip on the black strap around the cattle dog's back. It glowed faintly with a soft blue light. "I guess we should land and get some answers?"

"I'm not so sure..." said a slim white-furred female. She was a husky Tamaskan dog mix, though no one could ever tell. Her ice-blue eyes flickered over the airships, her eyes filled with suspicion and unease.

"I've never seen our forces deployed so aggressively before. If we land in a stolen airship, there's no way the team will let us one pawstep near Ironwood." The she-dog's pointed ears flattened against her head. "They might even take me back to my father." 

The cattle dog whined softly. She hated the idea of her mate going back to her abusive father, only after escaping him two months ago. Although, was the small Pack's arrival to Atlas just an opportunity for that father-dog to drag Weiss back to the prison of a home? 

A taller Black shepherd wolfdog with amber-gold eyes and a flash of white on her lower chest looked at Weiss, her pointed ear twitching. "Sooo…?"

Weiss' ears pricked up once more. "Winter." Lowering her head, Weiss grabbed a thin white object from a small, pale blue leather pouch around her lower leg. Turning towards the elderly dark blueish gray she-dog in the pilot seat, Weiss barked softly.

"Put some distance between us and the air fleet, Maria."

Maria, an elderly Weimaraner Welsh sheepdog mix with dark blue-gray fur that was semi-long and silver beginning to smudge her snout and face, looked up at Weiss through metal cybernetic optical implants that glowed with smugness. Despite being an elder, Maria still had her Grimm Reaper roots and was certainly prone to being sarcastic, yet wise at the same time. Twitching a flopped ear, Maria nodded.

"You don't need to tell me twice." 

With that, Maria raised her paws and took hold of the control stick, pushing it slowly and turning the airship in the opposite direction of the air fleet while still maintaining the path to the city in the sky.

Nora, a ginger-furred female Sheltie German Shepherd mix with medium length fur and teal-blue eyes, turned towards her mate, Ren, a Black shepherd mix with long fur black as night and gentle magenta eyes. A faint streak of pink ran down the side of his neck, an old mark that made him stand out from the other pups in his old puphood Pack of Kuroyuri, a Pack that was destroyed by a Grimm called the Nuckelavee. A Grimm that haunted both Ren and Nora's nightmares.

"Are you okay?" Nora whined softly, nudging the black male. Ever since the group learned that Salem, an evil being that desired nothing but death, couldn't be killed, Ren had been more distant than usual. Ren looked at his mate, gazing into those teal orbs that were filled with love and worry. Chuckling softly, Ren nuzzled Nora's neck gently.

"I'm alright, Nora. I promise." Ren replied, smiling gently. Nora pulled away only to headbutt the male in the shoulder playfully.

"You better be." Nora yapped, her curled tail wagging.

The airship closed in on the Ground Zero city, Mantle. Dark steam billowed up from the city, almost looking like smoke from afar.

Yang, a Golden Retriever she-dog with long, thick golden fur and floppy ears stood beside Blake, her stormy lilac eyes gazing out of the windows at the city below. Yang's front right leg is a titanium-steel mechanical leg, painted yellow and black. Yang would never admit to anyone the true meaning of the colors. During her time in Patch with her and Ruby's father, Taiyang, the golden she-dog always had the nagging question in her head. 

_Why did Blake leave?_

Yang had fallen hard for the black wolfdog back in Beacon Pack. She still is so deeply in love with Blake. After Yang had received the mechanical prosthetic, she wanted to give it some sort of charm to remind her of Blake.

During their time at Beacon Pack, Ruby had come up with a combat duo name for Yang and Blake, which was "Bumblebee", referring to the black and yellow coloring of a bumblebee. And so, Yang painted the prosthetic black and yellow. She swore she would never tell anyone except Blake when the time came.

A deep voice broke into Yang's thoughts, and both she and Ruby turned their attention towards the source outside.

_"We cannot express our appreciation enough."_

There, in a hologram broadcast picture, stood a dark gray and white Tamaskan dog with dull blue eyes. The entire right side of the dog's right front leg, chest, and a bit of his neck are titanium steel, a sign that there was once a terrible accident that had taken place in his life. 

_"Many describe these as uncertain times, and while that may be the case for the rest of the world, I can tell you what is certain: The kingdom of Atlas will remain strong. And it will remain safe. That is my promise."_

Yang's ears drooped as she gazed at the dog.

"General Ironwood..he looks..." The she-mutt trailed off as she searched for the right term.

"...tired." Ruby finished, her silver gaze sympathetic towards the Atlesian Alpha. 

Qrow turned his head away from the window, the black feather clipped into his ear swaying with the motion.

"James...what have you been doing?" The dark gray male whispered, his red eyes filled with worry. Clearly, the Fall of Beacon Pack and the death of Ozpin had taken a hard affect on the Alpha.

As Weiss gazed out of the window with her scroll propped up against the glass, her ears began to slowly pin themselves against the top of her head. The she-dog's older sister was not answering her scroll.

"This isn't right...none of this is right." Weiss whined, her bushy white tail curling between her legs. 

A pulse of static came over the radio from the front, gaining the attention of the passengers onboard.

_"Manta 5-1, we have noticed a detour in your route. You are to make your way to docking base Omega-12, immediately. Do you copy? Over."_

Maria looked over her shoulder at the other dogs.

"We're kind of running out of time here, kids." Maria barked before turning back towards the windshield. Yang looked towards Qrow, her lilac gaze certain.

"We gotta ditch the ship."

Qrow nodded. "Agreed. Get lost in Mantle. That way we can buy ourselves some time."

Weiss growled quietly as she took her scroll in her jaws and made her way towards the front of the ship and placed the device on the dashboard.

"I'm telling you. My sister can take us to Ironwood." Weiss said, her white tail stiffening in irritation. 

"Uhh...Weiss?"

Blake's voice interrupted the debate, catching Weiss' attention as she padded over towards the window Blake was staring out of. Hopping onto her hind legs, Weiss looked out of the window and her blue eyes widened.

_"A reminder: Failure to cooperate with Atlas military personnel is a punishable offense."_

A white she-dog, similar to Weiss, only taller, and older was being shown on the Atlas hologram Broadcast system. The she-dog's eyes were much more cold, and noticeably a darker shade of ice blue. Around her neck was a black leather collar. The she-dog wore a K9 vest, similar to ones used to put on dogs before the earthquake, mostly white in color, with straps that were a Navy blue color.

"Winter?" 

Qrow looked at Weiss from his spot on the co-pilot seat.

"No offense, Weiss, but I don't think that's a 'super-duper' great idea anymore." The dark-furred male growled. Weiss clenched her jaws as she whirled around to face Qrow, her icy gaze hard as she barked.

"There's clearly something wrong! If we can just talk to her then-"

"Look, I don't think we should even talk to Ironwood until we know exactly what's happening with Mantle, alright?" Qrow cut the she-dog off with a strict, yet gentle growl. He didn't need to pick a fight with his niece's mate. He already learned the hard way after Blake nearly lunged at Qrow after the train crash on their way to Argus.

"Everyone, calm down." Maria snapped, her patience clearly running low with the amount of arguing. Letting out a heavy sigh, Maria looked back towards Mantle. "I know someone in Mantle who can help with both. But the more you idiots continue bickering like immature children, the more likely we won't get anywhere!"

A small, brown male German shepherd pup stepped forward. His fur was just beginning to shift from all black to the traditional brown and black German shepherd coloring. Although, there were a few splashes of white on his left ear, the underside of the base of his tail, and the toes of his paws. His eyes were a green color that faded into a yellowish-green around the pupil. The pup was just only fourteen, probably a year and a half in the Humans' eyes. The young male's fur was brown with a few splotches of black over his backside and stomach.

"She's right," Oscar said, his gaze sweeping over the older dogs in the airship. "The sooner we get down into Mantle, the quicker we'll be able to get to Ironwood."

Another pulse of static over the radio, and the same feminine voice from before began talking, this time she sounded a bit more pissed.

_"Manta 5-1, you are to make your-"_

Maria's optical eyes narrowed as she took her paw and slapped a button on the dashboard, cutting off the woman's sentence.

"Jeez, lady, take a hint!" Maria barked, earning a laugh from the dogs.

* * *

Maria glanced around the corner of a tall, brick building, gazing around before lifting her tail up and stepping out of the alley. The rest of the small Pack followed Maria on the sidewalk, leading them down the road.

Green paint was drawn on the brick walls in the Nordic writing that all dogs and half-dogs of Remnant knew, the paint reading _**"Show your teeth."**_

"Is this many soldiers...normal?" Jaune asked, gazing around. Weiss shook her had in response. "No. At least, I didn't think so."

A buzzing sound from behind Yang caught her attention, and she glanced to her right, only to see a hovering camera-like drone. Shrugging, Yang continued to trot behind the group, keeping close to Blake, unaware that the drone was now following her. 

It was only when the drone got closer to Yang that the golden-furred dog looked at it, her lilac eyes narrowing. The camera lifted, and Yang leaned down to sniff at the metal thing.

A bright flash of light and a sharp _CLICK_ caused Yang to let out a startled yelp and stumble backwards. Now irritated, Yang lunged forward and slammed her skull into the camera, shunting it back. The golden she-dog took the frontal metal bar of the drone and tossed it into the road where it bounced twice before landing with a hard crash. Just as it was about to begin hovering once more, a trailer car ran over the device, crushing and destroying it completely.

Yang winced at the sight and turned towards the group, who were all now staring at her with amused, yet disappointed expressions. Laughing nervously, Yang trotted forward.

"M-maybe we should pick up the pace." The she-dog suggested, a nervous smile on her face. Blake smiled and rolled her eyes as she turned away to begin walking again.

"You have to remember: the kingdom had just lost the Great War, and then the Big Growl struck not half a year later. The dogs of Mantle needed a sign of a brighter future, and that sign was Atlas. After all, a city in the clouds is about as bright as it gets." Maria explained, stopping at an intersection. Hopping onto her back legs, Maria propped her front paws onto a lamp post and pressed her black nose against a button. The old dog dropped back onto her paws and sat down, waiting for the signal to cross.

As a trailer car passed, Nora and Blake caught sight of several half-wolves in the trailer, their fur dirty with black soot, clearly from mining. Nora turned away from the street.

"Unless you're the one having to look up at it." Nora said, frowning. Blake turned around as she faced Nora, her eyes filled with sympathy and sorrow.

"This whole city...it just seems so awful." Blake said, her ears flattening.


	2. i light the match to taste the heat (i've always liked to play with fire)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a morning supply run, Ruby, Qrow, Clover, Weiss, Penny and Winter have a run-in with some of Mantle's guardians.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
> 
> I said I'd acknowledge all of the ships tagged mkay

"Isn't a larger group of huntsman occupying a supply run...I don't know, more concerning?"

Weiss asked the question as she scratched the base of a pointed white ear with her hind claws. The morning supply run patrol consisted of her, Ruby, Qrow, Winter, and two others: Penny Polendina, Ruby's best friend from Beacon Pack. Before the Fall of Beacon Pack, Penny had ginger and white splashed fur and deep green eyes. It wasn't until a little later that Ruby found out Penny wasn't a true dog. She was cybernetic, an android, created by Atlas Pack. Though Penny had an aura, she was insecure at times about her personal feelings, often thinking that her feelings aren't valid because she isn't real. Ruby and Weiss always convince her otherwise. After Penny was slain in the Vytal Festival, Ruby thought she would never hear those optimistic calls of "I'm combat ready!" Though, Ruby's one true wish had become a reality when she had seen Penny after fighting off the Grimm that had invaded Mantle. Penny had truly changed. Her movements were less stiff and mechanical, and more fluid and life-like. Penny's tail, that had once been short and stubby, was longer and quite fluffy. The cybernetic she-dog's eyes were a brighter shade of green. Penny's fur was ginger, with splashes of white and ginger-beige, with more splotches of smudged dark brown. She looked different, yes, but Ruby knew Penny when she saw her. According to her Father, Pietro Polendina, a dark tan Sheepdog with kind hazel eyes, they had remodeled Penny to take the looks of an Australian Shepherd mix. Despite all of the changes, Penny's optimistic and happy personality had not changed one bit.

The other dog was the leader of the Ace-Operatives, or Ace-Ops for short. Clover Ebi was a brown Shiloh Shepherd Tamaskan Dog mix with bright teal-green eyes. Clover wore a black leather collar with a green and silver badge in the shape of a four-leaf clover on the side. Around Clover's foreleg was a red bandana. Apparently the lead Ace-Op's semblance was Good Fortune, which was amusing to the small Pack because Qrow's semblance was _Misfortune_. And it surprised no one when they noticed Qrow had admitted that he had feelings for Clover one night.

"Welcome to the Bisexual Disaster Club, Qrow." Blake had yapped, her amber-gold eyes glowing with amusement. Hell, even Winter wasn't surprised. 

From his spot on the floor of the supply truck, Clover slid a red card towards Qrow and looked up at Weiss.

"In some cases, yes, but bandits and Grimm are known to ambush supply runs. So a bigger, but small patrol is smart." Clover said. Qrow snorted quietly as he slid one of his red cards towards Clover. Penny and Ruby were upfront beside the longpaw android who was driving the supply truck. Winter was sitting near the back, next to the doors gazing out of the window in silence. 

"I win again," Clover said, smirking as he slid forward his red cards, revealing two aces and a joker. Qrow raised a brow at that. "Wanna call quits?" Clover asked, tilting his head. Qrow slid his cards forward, putting a paw over his snout.

"Just shut the hell up and deal..." Qrow mumbled. Clover chuckled as he scooped the cards towards him with a paw. While Clover took his time shuffling the cards, the Shiloh shepherd took his chance to look over Qrow's form. The Shepherd was certainly fit, his fur a dark, smokey gray despite him being a Black Shepherd. As his teal-green eyes trailed over Qrow's fur, Clover caught sight of a long, thin scar on Qrow's stomach. It clearly had healed up a long time ago, but what confused Clover was the hue of the scar. Instead of it being a pinkish-pale color, it seemed to be a pale, faint purple shade. 

"Uh, Uncle Qrow!" 

Ruby's call had pulled Clover out of his thoughts. Shaking his head, Clover tucked the cards behind a crate and stood up. Winter and Weiss had stepped forward, Qrow right beside them.

"Grimm?" Qrow asked, peering through the windshield. As Clover caught sight of a tall she-dog standing on the trail, Clover's hackles sprang up.

"No, worse."

A tall she-dog with light blonde fur stood in the very center of the snowy road, her pointed ears pricked forward. A faded green scarf was wrapped around her neck, and it flapped gently in the mellow breeze. The she-dog's fur was smudged and streaked with faint, darker hues of blonde and beige. She was a Greenland dog mix, and her eyes were a stormy lilac color. A circular pin was clipped onto the front of the scarf, bearing a white bird-like symbol. 

A shorter she-dog stood beside the first, her fur was a pristine, light shade of gray, almost white had it not been for the _true_ splotches of white that splashed various spots of her fur. The short dog had olive green eyes and semi-medium length fur. Her tail was short, docked, and her ears were floppy, and twitched every so often. She was a Welsh sheepdog Australian shepherd mix but was clearly a half-wolf, most likely an Arctic wolf.

As the truck came to a stop, Clover looked at Penny.

"Penny, you stay in here and keep an eye on our six. Qrow, Ruby, Weiss, and Winter. You come with me." Clover ordered as he opened the backdoors.

"Affirmative! I will plan for six possible outcomes." Penny yapped, sitting down and gazing out of the windshield. 

As the patrol hopped out of the truck and made their way to the front, Weiss noticed how Winter seemed to hesitate before standing beside Qrow and stared at the tall she-dog.

"Morning, Robyn Hill." Clover barked, greeting the she-dog. 

Robyn seemed to take on a smug, relaxed stance as she saw Clover.

"Clover, I'm glad you're here. Maybe you can help me understand why this truck that's _supposed_ to be taking construction materials to repair Mantle's outer walls," Robyn lifted her tail and gestured towards the metal barrier behind her. "is on it's way to the middle of nowhere." Robyn tilted her head, smirking. "Are you lost, Lucky?" 

Clover clenched his jaws at the nickname, visibly trying to keep himself in control. Shaking his fur, Clover lifted his head.

"It's easy to get turned around out here. Everything looks the same, huh? Thanks for checking on us. We'll be on our way." Clover said, beginning to turn around and make his way towards the back of the truck. Robyn let out a sigh.

"I was hoping you'd play it straight with me. What's Ironwood doing with Amity at the old SDC mine?" Robyn asked, keeping her gaze on Clover. The Shiloh shepherd paused and trotted forward.

"Oh, that. Just giving her the weekly check-up." Clover barked. Weiss cringed. Even Ruby was a better liar than Clover, and she was younger.

Robyn seemed to catch the horrible lie. 

"The next Vytal Festival isn't anytime soon. Only automated drones and a few select Atlas scientists are allowed out here. Not only that, but Amity's getting invaluable resources we need in _Mantle._ Seems like more than just a 'check-up.'" Robyn growled, her lavender eyes narrowing. Clover sighed. 

"So, You've been scoping it out?" Winter barks, her voice even. Robyn seemed to be surprised at Winter's presence as if just noticing that the second in command was there. Robyn grins.

"Listen, Winnie-" Winter peeled back her lips at the nickname, baring her white fangs at Robyn in a warning, but both Weiss and Ruby could see the softness and amusement in Winter's icy eyes. Ruby looked at Weiss, tilting her head in confusion. Weiss shrugged in response. 

"-Mantle needs the materials on this truck, and I think they deserve to know why Mantle isn't getting them." Robyn ruffed, walking forward slowly towards Clover and stopping, lifting up a medium-sized paw and holding it out, the black paw pads facing upwards towards the sky, offering the lead Ace-Op to take it. 

Clover didn't twitch a muscle that would give away that he was possibly contemplating and taking Robyn's paw.

"I'll pass," Clover growled. Robyn's smug expression faded as she lowered her paw to the snow. Turning towards Ruby and Qrow, Robyn's smug grin returned.

"How about you Pipsqueak? 5 o'clock shadow? Or maybe Snowflake 2.0? Any of you wanna tell me why Mantle's being put on the line for Ironwood's pet project?" Robyn barked, tilting her head once more. Ruby growled as she took two steps forward, her blackish-brown tail stiff.

"We're only trying to help-!"

"Ruby, that's enough," Qrow growled. Robyn frowned.

"Miss Hill, I think it would be better if you focused on the election instead of harassing huntsmen and huntresses. If you want materials to go to Mantle, you'll have to make that request through the legal channels. _If_ you get elected." Clover growled, clearly losing his patience. Robyn only smirked.

"Now where's the fun in that, hm?" 

The short she-dog behind Robyn tensed, ready to activate the wooden staff on her back that had a bladed crossbow on either end. 

Suddenly, a loud slam from the truck alerted the dogs and they all looked up. Penny had launched herself through the sunroof of the supply truck. Her six identical swords were hovering in a half-circle behind her as she stood on the roof of the truck, her head held high and her stance stiff.

"Robyn Hill. I'm going to politely ask that you call off the two huntresses approaching the rear of the truck!" Penny barked. Ruby and Weiss peered behind the truck, only to see that there were no dogs behind the vehicle. A soft chuckle from Robyn brought their attention to the she-dog.

"Alright. Joanna! May!" Robyn barked. Two she-dogs emerged from thin air, one was a Blue Bay shepherd with amber-yellow eyes. She seemed to look as if at one point she was male. The other she-dog was a lot larger, her fur a dark brindle brown. She seemed to be a Dutch Shepherd, and her eyes were also an amber-yellow. The trotted forward and stood side by side. 

Clover looked at Robyn, an eyebrow raised. Robyn shrugged and looked at the shorter white she-dog.

"Fiona, open the entryway, will ya?" Robyn asked, her tail swaying slowly. Fiona nodded and sped towards the metal wall, grasping a thick white rope between her jaws and pulling. With a few straining tugs, the wall was opened. Robyn gestured towards the opening with her paw, as if offering the opening to the dogs. 

"Let's go." Clover growled, turning away and heading towards the back doors of the vehicle. As the rest of the patrol followed, Winter paused and looked over her shoulder.

"Good luck at the election, Robyn." Winter barked, before bounding to the doors and hopping inside. Robyn hummed quietly as a soft smile spread across her face. As soon as the doors slammed closed, the truck started up again and slowly drove through the entry. Robyn watched it go, her scarf swaying in the breeze that the truck left in its wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Play With Fire - Sam Tinnesz
> 
> JUST IN CASE ANYONE WAS CONFUSED-  
> Longpaws = Humans


	3. you've got it all (you lost your mind in the sound)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since arriving in Atlas, Qrow became quite fond of a certain brown-furred Ace-Op.
> 
> He only wished he hadn't taken every second for granted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> King - Lauren Aquilina
> 
> Anyone watch that Brackenfur AMV with "King" in the background? That's kind of what this is based on.
> 
> Yeah, so I found the one and only Fair Game playlist on Spotify and then this happened.
> 
> I cried while writing this.

_You're alone, you're on your own, so what?_

A pale silver moon hung in an ocean of blackish-blue, the broken bits and pieces of the pale disc in the sky providing their own beam like a jagged spotlight. Stars dotted across the sky, creating a map of constellations hidden among the other pale specks of light.

Atop the top stair leading to Atlas Academy sat Qrow, his dark, smokey gray fur almost a pale gray in the milky white moonlight. His gaze was fixed on the night sky, his expression blank. The dark, onyx black feather that hung from the metal clip in his ear swayed ever so slightly in the soft breeze.

_Have you gone blind?_

"Never took you for the night-type." barked a voice. Qrow broke free from his trance and looked over his shoulder to see a male, brown-furred Shiloh Shepherd dog mix with teal green eyes walk towards Qrow. Even at night, the lead Ace-Op still wore that black leather collar with the green and silver four-leaf clover pin and that red bandana around his upper leg. 

"I could say the same to you." Qrow retorted, twitching an ear absentmindedly. Clover chuckled softly as he stood at Qrow's side.

"I was doing my last nightly patrol rounds when I happened to spot _you_ staring at the moon like a wolf." Clover woofed, sitting down. Qrow rolled his eyes and looked back up at the pale disc in the night sky.

"Just thinking about...some things that have happened before we got here," Qrow said, his tail curling to cover a thin scar on his side. 

"At midnight?" Clover asked, tilting his head. Qrow nodded. Clover hummed softly but did not respond as he too looked up at the shattered, fragmented moon.

_Have you forgotten what you have and what is yours?_

Clover suddenly stood up and looked at Qrow, his expression unreadable. Qrow raised a brow.

"What?"

Clover said nothing as he leaned closer to the smokey dog. Qrow's heart pounded against his chest at the close proximity, suddenly feeling warm beneath his fur.

A quick headbutt to the shoulder and Clover whirled around and bounded away a few paces, only to turn around towards Qrow and drop the front half of his body onto the ground, his brown tail still waving in the air. Qrow stood up, a skeptical frown on his face.

"What is this, a game of Tag?" Qrow barked, sounding unamused. Clover merely smirked.

"Are we going chicken, Branwen?" Clover asked mischievously. Qrow snorted and trotted towards Clover, only for the said brown dog to hop up onto his paws and bolt. Qrow huffed and picked up his pace, following the Ace-Op until he found himself jogging after Clover.

Suddenly, Clover was nowhere to be seen.

Qrow had followed him to the top of a snow-covered hillside where a small stack of rocks sat, the pile only a few inches taller than Qrow.

Lowering his muzzle to the snow, Qrow sniffed, searching for that familiar minty-earth scent that had a hint of sea salt. Qrow would definitely be lying if he said it wasn't his favorite scent. All because it was simply _Clover._

It was after the SDC mine mission that Qrow realized he loved Clover. Not because of his looks (which was actually forty-five percent of it, really,) but because of his personality, and the way he would let the smoothest fucking good luck/bad luck pun slip from his jaws. It was so irresistible because it was _Clover._

_Glass half empty, glass half full_

_Well, either way, you won't be going thirsty_

_Count your blessings, not your_ _flaws_

A weight suddenly crashed into him and Qrow was suddenly toppling down the hillside, somewhat wrestling with the weight.

When he reached the bottom, Qrow opened his eyes only to realize that a pair of teal green eyes were staring down at him, laughter glowing in their depths. Clover had pinned Qrow down into the snow.

Qrow suddenly let out a laugh.

Clover's fur was covered in white, snowy powder. The snow was dusted on Clover's snout and face.

"You look like you came out of a fucking blizzard!" Qrow barked. Clover grinned.

"So do you." He replied. Clover scooped up a pawful of snow and shoved it onto the gray dog's chest, jumping off of him just as Qrow sprang to his paws, a snowball in his mouth.

"You're going to fucking regret that, Ebi!" Qrow howled. Clover laughed as he ran from the smokey male, his back paws kicking up flurries of white snow.

* * *

_You've got it all_

Clover paced the room, his expression uneasy and somewhat stressed.

Harriet Bree, a swift Malinois mix with brown and blonde fur and dark magenta eyes sat on her rump, shaking her head slowly as she watched her leader pace back and forth. 

Elm Ederne, a large dark brown German Shepherd mix with warm brown eyes that were filled with worry and a bit of disappointment at her leader's current state.

Vine Zeki, a tall, slim, white male whose breed was unknown, but often described it as being some type of greyhound. Like his dark brown mate, Elm, his blue eyes were filled with worry for his leader.

Marrow Amin, a dark blueish-gray shepherd wolf mix with slate blue eyes. He didn't seem to be worried about Clover, mostly annoyed, more or less.

"You're a gay mess, Clov," Harriet said, lifting a slim hind leg to scratch at her neck. Clover groaned and slumped onto his stomach and covered his face with his paws, almost looking ashamed.

"I know," Clover whined. 

"You have to tell him sooner or later." Elm yapped. 

"He tried. Ended up having a gay panic." Marrow stated, his ear twitching.

"Oh my _god._ " Harriet yapped, 

"May I suggest something?" Vine ruffed, sitting up, the thick black leather collar shifting slightly around his neck.

"Go ahead," Harriet replied, skeptical.

"While I am not...particularly _great_ with romance, despite having a mate of my own-" he glanced towards Elm who wagged her tail thumping against the floor. "- _and_ this being a romance of two who are of the same gender, I would like to suggest a...subtle date," Vine said. Clover sat up, his ears pricked.

"What do you suggest?" Clover asked, his teal green eyes full of interest.

"There's a spot in the old SDC mining area where half-wolves used to sneak out at night when the guards weren't watching and enjoy their time together. According to records, the spot was so hidden that guards didn't even find out about it, even after mining closed in that area. The only reason I know about it is that Elm and I stumbled on it a few weeks after we became Ace-Ops. We asked a half-wolf couple in Mantle about it, and apparently they were one of the few couples in the mine that went there." Vine explained.

"North end of the area. There's a pile of rocks that cover up a tunnel leading into one of the peaks surrounding the SDC mine. It goes down into the ground, and there's an underground chamber that's at least half a mile wide and a quarter-mile from the floor to the ceiling. There's a stream that leads into it through a separate tunnel, and there's a huge pond. There's some dust in the walls, but it's all dormant but provides some light." Elm added.

_You lost your mind in the sound_

Hours later, around midnight, Clover slipped into Qrow's room and crept towards his bed.

"Qrow. Hey, Qrow." the Ace-Op whispered, prodding Qrow's back with his paw. Qrow groaned in response.

"C'mon. Get up. It's important." Clover whined. Qrow did not reply this time. Snorting, Clover stepped back.

"Fine. Guess we'll have to do this the hard way." Clover said. 

Jumping onto the bed, Clover stood over the dark-furred male who was nestled under the blankets, his paw under his chin.

Hopping onto his back legs, Clover shoved his paws onto Qrow's backside, over and over again.

"Okay, okay, ow- Clover get off before you lose an ear." Qrow barked, finally awake. Clover's tail wagged in satisfaction and he hopped off of the bed. Qrow slid out of bed, shaking his fur. 

"About time! Alright, let's go." Clover yapped, turning and bolting out the door, leaving Qrow scrambling to catch up.

_There's so much more_

"Clover, where the hell are we going?" Qrow barked as he ran after Clover, his long, powerful limbs allowing him to easily catch up with Clover.

The chestnut dog did not reply as they neared the metal barrier that led to the SDC mine. Qrow slowed to a trot and stopped, his head tilted.

"Clover?" Qrow barked. The dog in question stood in front of the metal barrier, looking at him.

"Why are we here?" Qrow asked, slowly walking towards Clover. The lead Ace-Op flashed a reassuring smile.

"I wanna show you something," Clover replied, hopping up and grasping the white rope that was tied to the handle of one of the metal barrier sheets and began tugging, sliding the barrier open, revealing the somewhat empty area.

As the two stepped inside, Clover slid the barrier back into place and trotted ahead of Qrow, glancing over his shoulder at the visibly confused male.

_You can reclaim your crown_

"Follow me." Clover barked, and burst into a gallop, leaving Qrow once again scrambling to catch up.

Clover led Qrow around the old facilities and supply cars to the farthest peak at the very back of the mine. 

A pile of large rocks piled up against the slope. Qrow watched skeptically as Clover pushed a large, flat rock out of the way, revealing a tunnel leading down into the mountain.

"What-"

"Don't question it just yet. C'mon." Clover chuckled, turning and disappearing into the opening.

_You're in control_

As the two reached the end of the tunnel, Qrow's breath caught in his throat.

They were in a very large underground chamber that was at least half a mile wide and a quarter-mile from the ground to the ceiling. A large pond sat in the center of the chamber, the surface still, and unmoving as if it hadn't been disturbed in years. The ground was worn down, smooth, yet soft, like sand. In the ceiling of the chamber were dust crystals of varying colors scattered in the rock, their glow illuminating the chamber dimly. 

Qrow's jaw was slackened in awe.

"It's beautiful," Qrow whispered.

* * *

Qrow sat farthest away near the wall at the Atlas Ball, his ears pinned down against his head, an angry yet worried expression on his face.

There were drinks everywhere. _Everywhere._ But they were drinks that Qrow desperately tried to avoid like the plague. 

The gold-amber liquid that sat in a short glass cup was almost trying to lure him in. He hated it.

Once upon a time, Qrow believed that alcohol would cease the effects of his semblance. But now, he realized he only started drinking after Summer was killed. That metal flask hung on the clip right next to his weapon, but now, that flask was somewhere in the tundra, thrown out of the airship on their way to Atlas. 

A prod at his shoulder brought him from his thoughts, and Qrow looked up to gaze into a pair of teal-green eyes that were filled with concern.

"You don't look so good," Clover remarked, sitting down beside Qrow.

"Withdrawal is a bitch. That's all." Qrow replied, turning around to nibble at the base of his tail where an itch had formed. His ears were still pressed against his head when he looked back up at Clover.

"Ouch. How long?" Clover asked, tilting his head. Qrow lifted his paw, the dark pad facing up towards the ceiling. He mentally counted the weeks that had gone by since he abandoned his habit.

"About seven or so weeks. I quit just before me and the kids got here." Qrow said, lowering his paw to the floor. Clover grimaced.

"Damn. You wanna go outside? Get some fresh air?" Clover woofed gently. Another thing Qrow loved about Clover: How much he cared.

Clover was a thoughtful dog, always thought of others before himself. Never got too personal, but didn't completely ignore the subject at paw.

"Yeah. I'd rather be inhaling whatever that chemical was than all of these drinks." Qrow said, standing to his paws. Clover tilted his head, grinning.

"Carbon monoxide?" Clover asked, rising to his paws and leading Qrow to the door to the balcony outside.

"Yeah, that." Qrow growled as he pushed the door open and slipped into the night. Clover followed.

Apparently, the two males weren't the only ones outside. Winter, Penny, and Robyn were already sitting on the balcony.

"Hey, Lucky. Hey, 5 o'clock shadow." Robyn greeted, her tail waving slowly. Qrow rolled his eyes at the nickname.

"Good evening, you two," Winter said, smiling faintly.

"Good evening, Mr. Ebi and Mr. Branwen!" Penny yapped, hopping up to her paws, her bushy tail wagging. Clover smiled.

"Hello, Penny, Robyn, Winter," Clover said, sitting down near the three. Qrow seemed to be a bit hesitant, but he slowly moved to Clover's side and slumped down onto his stomach, letting out a sigh as his stomach met the cool stone beneath him.

"What's up with him?" Robyn asked, raising a brow. Clover flicked his tail.

"He needed some fresh air." the Ace-Op replied, keeping his explanation simple. Penny's head tilted curiously.

"Why? Is Mr. Branwen ill?" Penny asked. Qrow rolled over onto his back, sighing softly.

"Penny, what drinks are most of the dogs drinking in there besides water?" Qrow asked, his eyes closing as he enjoyed the cool stone against his back.

"Hmm...mostly beverages that would need to be consumed responsibly. Red wine is what most of the guests are drinking, others are having whiskey or hard tea." Penny answered, sitting down. "Why?"

"What's the pattern with most of those drinks?" Qrow asked, opening one red eye to look at the ginger-furred female.

"Most of them contain a high or low percentage of alcohol," Penny replied.

"Exactly." Qrow said. Penny's ears perked as she seemed to understand.

"Oh, right. Ruby mentioned to me that she was worried you would take up that habit again tonight." Penny said, her head lowering.

"Well, I didn't. Been avoiding it like the plague ever since I got to Mantle." Qrow growled. Winter flicked a pointed ear and looked at Qrow from her spot beside Robyn.

"What happened to you on your way to Atlas that made you realize you had to drop the habit, Branwen?" Winter asked, her gaze filled with teasing amusement and mild curiosity.

"Ever heard of the Apathy, Ice Queen?" Qrow ruffed. Clover winced.

"Jesus, you ran into _those?_ " Clover said, looking down at the dark-furred male beside him.

"Yup. Practically drained me and made me go to the wine cellar and start drinking." Qrow said. 

"Good god. Sorry, that happened to you, Qrow." Robyn whined.

"I-it's fine, Robyn. It happened awhile ago." Qrow responded as he sat up, still sitting beside Clover.

He was grateful that the three she-dogs in front of him couldn't see Clover's tail curling around Qrow's.

_Rid of the monsters inside your head_

* * *

Tyrian was definitely one of the most annoying criminals Clover's been in a transport airship with. He never stopped _laughing._

"Ohh, Branwen?" Tyrian said. The dark-furred male who had been resting from the fight opened a red eye, his expression unreadable.

"Hm?"

Tyrian gestured to Qrow's side, specifically to a certain scar that had a faint purple hue to it. The scar was thin, but about the length of a mouse. 

"Remember that? Oh, that day was _certainly_ delightful, wasn't it?" Tyrian giggled, his eyes full of menace. Qrow rose to his paws, shaking his fur as he sat down, looking at Tyrian with an unimpressed look.

_Put all your flaws to bed_

"Yeah. My favorite part was when Ruby sliced your stinger off. How _delightful_ did that feel, Callows?" Qrow asked, his red eyes burning with hate. Robyn raised a brow, impressed. Clover kicked his back paw into Tyrian's side for the fifth time in a row.

"Shut it. Or you might lose more than a stinger." Clover warned.

A buzz from Qrow's scroll got his attention and he twisted his head around, grabbing it from the black strap around his back and set it on the metal bench. Tapping a dark claw against the yellow button, Qrow realized it was a broadcast from Ruby to not only Qrow but to Jaune, Ren, Nora, and Oscar.

 _"Ironwood's declaring martial law and abandoning Mantle!"_ Ruby howled, her voice filled with urgency. Robyn moved next to Qrow to stare at the hologram screen, her eyes wide.

 _"Salem's coming and he's going to use the Staff to move Atlas!"_ Ruby continued to bark. _"If we don't stop him, Mantle's going to be des-!"_

The transmission suddenly cuts off into silence. Robyn and Qrow look up at Clover. Robyn's expression is one of anger, while Qrow's is one of frustration, betrayal, and hurt.

Clover says nothing as he stares back at them, his ears pressing back against his head.

_You can be king_

* * *

"What are you doing?!"

"The will of our _goddess!_ " Tyrian howls as he flings himself towards the co-pilot control stick and grips it into his jaws and pushing it, causing the airship to quickly veer towards the tundra.

Clover, in an act of pure instinct, opens the door of the airship and leaps out. Qrow and Robyn are left staggering to their paws, skidding at the sudden steepness of the floor.

The airship suddenly crashes into the snow, and Robyn lets out a yelp as the impact flings her against the wall. Qrow is thrown into the closed door of the airship, his head slamming into the steel and black swarming his vision.

* * *

_There's method in my madness_

_"My semblance is_ good _fortune. Lucky you, huh?"_

_There's no logic in your sadness_

_"You shouldn't do that, you know."_

_"O-oh, don't worry, I gave that up."_

_You don't gain a single thing from misery_

_"I_ meant _deflect a compliment."_

_Take it from me_

* * *

Qrow groans softly as his eyes open slowly. He rises to his paws, suddenly grateful that his aura had taken most of the damage during the crash. Limping slightly, Qrow stepped out of the airship, looking around. He suddenly spotted a pale-furred body among the debris and rushed towards it.

Robyn was unconscious but didn't look like she had any gashes or broken bones. Lifting his paw, Qrow rested it against Robyn's neck. There was a pulse. It was steady. Pulling his paw back, Qrow let out a sigh of relief.

"Robyn needs medical help. Surrender, and we can get her to Atlas. Get her patched up."

A voice behind him made Qrow turn around. Clover was standing a few yards from the crash, his ears pricked.

Qrow stood, turning towards the Ace-Op and walking towards him slowly.

"Never took you for the manipulative type, Clover." Qrow growled, stopping a few feet away from the brown dog.

* * *

_You've got it all_

Qrow closes his strong jaws around the brown scruff of Clover and flings him a few feet away. His teal aura flickers like the reflection on the underside of a wooden dock of the sun's beams hitting the water's ripples. It flickers one last time before breaking, the small particles fading away like the ashes of a Grimm that has been cut down.

Qrow pants heavily, visibly exhausted.

"Why couldn't you just do the right thing instead of the thing you were told?!" Qrow barked. Clover winced as he rose to his paws, his limbs shaking with fatigue.

"I trust James with my life!" Clover barked. The lead Ace-Op stared into Qrow's eyes, his own filled with sorrow.

"I wanted to trust you." Clover added.

_You lost your mind in the sound_

The blade of Harbinger thrusts through Clover's back and through his chest, blood splattering the snow, staining it a crimson scarlet. Qrow freezes, his heart pounding. The blade is pulled back, and Clover stumbled forward, blood trickling from his mouth. His green and silver pin clatters to the snow, blood painting the lower right corner of it.

His breath shaky, Clover collapses to his side, panting as blood pools out around him.

_There' so much more_

Qrow looks up only to see Tyrian holding the hilt of Harbinger in his jaws. Clover's blood drips from the blade and onto the snow. He tosses it to the side, smirking.

"Ouch. Doesn't look like he's going to make it." Tyrian remarks, false sorrow in his voice. 

"I'll kill you!" Qrow snarls. Tyrian's smirk grows.

"You mean...like _you_ just killed _Clover?_ " Tyrian asks. Qrow lets out a deep, guttural snarl that is filled with rage. He lunges towards Tyrian, prepared to take his throat in his jaws. Tyrian easily leaps back as Qrow falters from exhaustion.

* * *

_You can reclaim your crown_

Qrow lays beside Clover, tears brimming in his eyes as he gazes at Clover.

"James will take the fall...I'll make sure of it." Qrow growls. Clover smiles softly. The tundra was suddenly illuminated with an orangish glow. Qrow looked over his shoulder.

The sun was rising, painting the sky with colors of pink, purple, orange and red.

Turning back to the dying Ace-Op, Qrow's ears pinned back against his head.

"Good luck." Clover wheezed, his teal-green eyes glimmering. Qrow's eyes closed and his jaws clench.

"Hey."

Reopening his eyes, Qrow looked down at Clover.

"I love you." Clover rasps. 

"I love you too..." Qrow says.

Clover smiles softly before the light fades from his eyes and the smile that Qrow became so fond of faded.

Qrow's jaws clench for a moment before he reels back his head to the sky and howls in grief and emotional pain.

His howl was long and mournful, so wolf-like in every way. It was high-pitched at first, but then it smoothed out into a single, deep call that echoed throughout the tundra.

* * *

_You're in control_

_"I just found working alone tends to be for the best."_

_Rid of the monsters inside your head_

_"Well, I think that's a shame."_

_Put all your faults to bed_

_You can be king_

* * *

_**One week later** _

Qrow sat in front of a grave, gazing at the headstone with an emotionless expression. The pale moonlight poured down on the cemetery, bathing everything in a silvery-white glow. Snowflakes were spiraling towards the ground, and snow had already begun to pile up on the back of Qrow's neck, shoulders, and his backside.

He sat there in silence, gazing at the words on the headstone.

_**There is no stroke of fortune as lucky as meeting him.** _

_**Rest in an eternal peace** _

_**Clover Ebi** _

_**Lead Ace-Op and a true friend.** _

Tears slipped down Qrow's face and onto the frostbitten grass. 

"Uncle Qrow."

The dark-furred male looked over his shoulder. Behind him stood Ruby, Yang, Penny, Winter, and Robyn.

Another warm tear slid down Qrow's face and Ruby rushed forward, pressing herself against her grieving uncle, trying to comfort him the best she could. Yang trotted towards her Uncle, nuzzling his neck softly. 

"I...brought these." Penny murmured, placing something in front of Qrow's paws.

Looking down, Qrow stared at a small bouquet of white lilies, with four-leaf clovers between the stems.

"They're perfect, Penny. Thank you." Qrow said, smiling at the ginger she-dog. Gently, Qrow took the bouquet in his teeth and placed it in front of the headstone.

As if being signaled by a silent cue, Robyn stepped forward and pulled a metal object from the folds of her scarf. It was Clover's horseshoe, the one he carried with him everywhere he went. Without saying a word, Robyn gently placed the item against the base of the stone, pulling back only to touch her nose against the cool metal, her eyes closed.

After a moment, Robyn pulled back, a tear trickling down her face. Taking her place, Winter held Clover's weapon, Kingfisher, and placed it next to the horseshoe. Unlike Robyn, the white she-dog placed a slim, white paw on the hilt of Kingfisher, not saying a word as she withdrew her paw and stepped back beside Robyn, a warm tear slipping down her face.

"And uh...we..made something. After the uh...funeral. Harriet came up to us and gave us some things that Clover kept with him. She said you could have them." Ruby whispered, looking up at her uncle. 

A faint jingling made Qrow turn. Yang held a leather collar between her jaws, the leather black in color. The green and silver clover pin had been washed and polished, no drop of blood left behind, and it was clipped to the collar. Along with the collar and pin, Yang held a red bandana in her jaws, the fabric clean and pristine.

Trotting towards the dark male, Yang dropped the items onto the grass, only to pick up the collar and slip it over her uncle's head, allowing it to slide down around his neck. Yang lifted her paw and adjusted the collar, turning it so the pin was facing towards Yang. The golden-furred she-dog bent down and grasped the bandana in her teeth and slipped it over his head as well, letting it settle around Qrow's neck.

"You look great, Qrow." Winter said, her voice kind, yet wavering. The moment was very emotionally intense, so it was not exactly a surprise.

"Thanks..." Qrow replied, his eyes closing.

* * *

**_Two weeks later_ **

_You've got it all_

_Qrow opened his eyes, only to nearly yelp in surprise._

_Instead of being in his room, Qrow was laying in a snowy version of the Forest of Forever Fall. The leaves were red as if they had been dipped in blood. Snow blanketed a few spots on the trees, but it did not seem to affect the leaves at all._

_Standing up, Qrow shook the snow from his coat and began padding through the red forest, his crooked cross necklace clinking against the clover-shaped pin on his collar._

_It seemed like about twenty minutes that Qrow had been walking when suddenly, the trees vanished into thin air, and suddenly Qrow was in the underground chamber in the mine where Clover had taken him all those months ago._

_Suddenly, Qrow spotted a familiar brown-furred dog on the other side of the pond, gazing into its depths._

_Breaking into a sprint, Qrow bolted towards the dog, his paws hitting the surface of the water, yet he did not sink. It felt as if he was running over ice but without the slipperiness._

_Letting out a bark of joy, Qrow tackled the brown dog to the ground._

_"What the-!"_

_"Clover!" Qrow barked, looking down into teal-green orbs that suddenly glowed with happiness._

_You lost your mind in the sound_

_Clover barked a laugh as Qrow licked the former Ace-Op's face, his tail wagging so fast it was a blur. Clover nuzzled the dark-furred shepherd's neck, his eyes brimming with joy-filled tears that slipped down his cheeks._

_"How is this possible?" Qrow murmured quietly, his red eyes closed as he embraced his mate._

_"You know what it is." Clover said, opening his eyes. Qrow tilted his head, confused. Clover chuckled as he tapped the pin on the collar lightly._

_"It's that. Spiritual attachment." Clover whispered. Qrow grinned._

_"Oh, so now I have a Casper following me around?" the shepherd asked. Clover laughed._

_"Please, I am way better looking than Casper, dipshit." Clover said, shoving a paw into Qrow's face. Qrow flopped down beside Clover, smiling warmly._

_"Trust me. I'm well aware, thank you."_

_There's so much more_

_"Qrow, you know this is a dream, right?" Clover asked, gazing at the smokey-furred male. Qrow chuckled._

_"As long as I've got my mate spiritually attached to something I swear I will never lose, I could honestly fucking care less." Qrow replied, smiling._

_You can reclaim your crown_

_Clover chuckled as he pulled the shapeshifter closer to him, burying his muzzle in Qrow's fur, inhaling the familiar scent of whiskey, gunpowder, and redwood._

_"I love you, my Bad Luck Charm." Clover whispered, his eyes closed. Qrow nuzzled Clover's neck softly, inhaling his mate's scent of mint, earth, and sea salt._

_"I love you too, Lucky Charm." Qrow murmured._

_You're in control_

_"I think your pin has a bit of your semblance stuck to it."_

_Rid of the monsters inside your head_

_"How so?"_

_Put all your faults to bed_

_"I almost got tackled by Marrow the other day and 'somehow' he slammed into the wall."_

_You can be king again_

_"I think that's both of our semblances balancing each other out, Qrow."_

_"Still. It feels nice knowing you're still with me in reality."_

_"Oh, I can only imagine."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *SOBS INTO A PILLOW*
> 
> Check out the Fair Game playlist on Spotify!
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0gRzaIsX7Zb2vRAIabPuNP


End file.
